Medical Selection System for Baseline Image Workflow
Solution Overview
Problem
In medical imaging, clinicians face inconvenience when selecting baseline images for follow-up examinations, as they must do so on the same system used for the follow-up scan, leading to potential errors and increased time between examinations due to the need for clinicians to occupy the medical processing system.
Innovation Solution
A medical selection system that allows clinicians to select medical images separately from the medical processing system, generating selection data with metadata for association, which is then transmitted to the medical processing system for automatic image selection, reducing errors and time by enabling convenient workflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If clinicians select baseline images on the same medical processing system used for follow-up scans, then the selection can be directly integrated with the scanning workflow, but clinicians must occupy the medical processing system which increases time between examinations and potential for errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the image selection function from the medical processing system into a separate, dedicated selection interface. This segmentation allows clinicians to select baseline images on a separate system that does not interfere with the follow-up scanning workflow, thereby reducing the time the medical processing system is occupied while maintaining selection accuracy through specialized selection tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary selection system that acts as a mediator between the clinician's selection needs and the medical processing system. This intermediary handles the image selection process separately, then communicates the selected images to the medical processing system, allowing clinicians to perform selections without occupying the medical processing system and reducing errors through a dedicated selection interface.
2Ease of operation
If clinicians select baseline images on the same medical processing system, then the workflow appears integrated, but this causes clinicians to occupy the system which reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the image selection function into a separate system, the patent maintains workflow integration from the clinician's perspective while allowing parallel processing of selection and scanning operations. This segmentation enables the medical processing system to remain available for scanning while the selection occurs independently, thereby improving examination throughput without sacrificing workflow ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The selection system is designed to be self-sufficient, handling image selection independently without requiring the medical processing system's resources. This self-service approach allows the selection process to occur in parallel with scanning operations, improving productivity while maintaining ease of operation through a user-friendly selection interface that integrates seamlessly with the overall workflow.
3Loss of time
If a separate selection system is used, then clinicians can select images independently reducing time and errors, but the system complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a simplified selection system that copies or replicates only the essential image viewing and selection functionality needed for baseline image selection. Rather than creating a fully independent complex system, it uses a streamlined interface that mirrors the necessary functions, thereby reducing time for image selection while minimizing the increase in system complexity through selective functionality replication.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical selection system 100 for generating selection data includes a user input 110 for enabling a user to establish a selection of one or more medical images amongst a plurality of medical images 182 for establishing the one or more medical images as baseline images for use in a follow-up examination of a patient. A processor 120 generate selection data 132 being indicative of said selection, and includes selection metadata in the selection data for enabling associating the selection data with the plurality of medical images. An output 130 provides the selection data to a medical processing system 150 for enabling the medical processing system to select, based on the selection data, the one or more medical images amongst the plurality of medical images for use as the baseline images in the follow-up examination of the patient.